大唐西域記 9.44

9.44

帝曰本大伽藍者，今置佛像，眾中日差四十僧就此而食，以報施主之恩。僧徒數千，並俊才高學也，德重當時，聲馳異域者，數百餘矣。戒行清白，律儀淳粹，僧有嚴制，眾咸貞素，印度諸國皆仰則焉。請益談玄，竭日不足，夙夜警誡，少長相成，其有不談三藏幽旨者，則形影自愧矣。故異域學人欲馳聲問，咸來稽疑，方流雅譽。是以竊名而遊，咸得禮重。殊方異域欲入談議，門者詰難，多屈而還；學深今古，乃得入焉。於是客遊後進，詳論藝能，其退飛者固十七八矣。二三博物，眾中次詰，莫不挫其銳、頹其名。若其高才博物，強識多能，明德哲人，聯暉繼軌。至如護法、護月，振芳塵於遺教；德慧、堅慧，流雅譽於當時；光友之清論；勝友之高談；智月則風鑒明敏；戒賢乃至德幽邃。若此上人，眾所知識，德隆先達，學貫舊章，述作論釋各十數部，並盛流通，見珍當世。伽藍四周，聖迹百數，舉其二三，可略言矣。

For this reason some persons usurp the name (of Nālanda students), and in going to and fro receive honour in consequence. If men of other quarters desire to enter and take part in the discussions, the keeper of the gate proposes some hard questions ; many are unable to answer, and retire. One must have studied deeply both old and new (books) before getting admission. Those students, therefore, who come here as strangers, have to show their ability by hard discussion ; those who fail compared with those who succeed are as seven or eight to ten. The other two or three of moderate talent, when they come to discuss in turn in the assembly, are sure to be humbled, and to forfeit their renown. But with respect to those of conspicuous talent of solid learning, great ability, illustrious virtue, distinguished men, these connect (their high names) with the succession (of celebrities belonging to the college), such as Dharmapala (Hu-fa) and Chandrapala (Hu-yueh), who excited by their bequeathed teaching the thoughtless and worldly ; Gunamati (Tih-hwui) and Sthiramati (Kin-hwui), the streams of whose superior teaching spread abroad even now; Prabhamitra (Kwang-yeu), with his clear discourses ; Jinamitra (Shing-yeu), with his exalted eloquence ; the pattern and fame (sayings and doings) of Jnanachandra (Chi-yueh) reflect his brilliant activity ; Sigrabuddha (?) (Ming-min), and Silabhadra (Kiai-hien), and other eminent men whose names are lost.

After this a king of Central India built to the north of this a great sanghārāma. Moreover, he built round these edifices a high wall with one gate. A long succession of kings continued the work of building, using all the skill of the sculptor, till the whole is truly marvellous to behold. The king said, "In the hall of the monarch who first began the sanghārāma I will place a figure of Buddha, and I will feed forty priests of the congregation every day to show my gratitude to the founder." The priests, to the number of several thousands, are men of the highest ability and talent. Their distinction is very great at the present time, and there are many hundreds whose fame has rapidly spread through distant regions. Their conduct is pure and unblamable. They follow in sincerity the precepts of the moral law. The rules of this convent are severe, and all the priests are bound to observe them. The countries of India respect them and follow them. The day is not sufficient for asking and answering profound questions. From morning till night they engage in discussion; the old and the young mutually help one another. Those who cannot discuss questions out of the Tripiṭaka are little esteemed, and are obliged to hide themselves for shame. Learned men from different cities, on this account, who desire to acquire quickly a renown in discussion, come here in multitudes to settle their doubts, and then the streams (of their wisdom) spread far and wide.

These illustrious personages, known to all, excelled in their attainments (virtue) all their distinguished predecessors, and passed the bounds of the ancients in their learning. Each of these composed some tens of treatises and commentaries which were widely diffused, and which for their perspicuity are passed down to the present time. The sacred relics on the four sides of the convent are hundreds in number. For brevity's sake we will recount two or three. On the western side of the sangharama, at no great distance, is a vihara. Here Tathagata in old days stopped for three months and largely expounded the excellent law for the good of the Devas.